Voice of Business: Investing In a DEI Strategy Makes Businesses More Competitive

A quick look around the workplace can provide a snapshot of a business investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Some businesses have been actively and strategically investing in DEI for decades while others have come on board more recently.

While there’s no question that creating workplaces that welcome and support people of various backgrounds and identities is inherently a good thing — it’s also good for business.

A study by McKinsey & Company found that companies with higher racial and ethnic diversity are 35 per cent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians. Additionally, gender-diverse companies are 15 per cent more likely to outperform their peers.

Workplaces that foster an environment where people with different life experiences, different cultures, different abilities, and different identities all are empowered to contribute meaningfully will create stronger, more resilient businesses.

An article in the Harvard Business Review titled How Investing in DEI Helps Companies Become More Adaptable highlights companies that invest in DEI are more adaptable to change. Companies with the highest DEI scores were considered to be 80 per cent more able to change. In an era of constant change and volatility on a global scale, the ability to change and adapt is crucial.

Additionally, investing in DEI helps a business attract and retain talent. According to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Canadian Survey on Business Conditions Report, Q3 2022, 39 per cent of respondents identified recruiting skilled employees as an obstacle to business over the next three months, 37 per cent listed a shortage of labour force and 31 per cent identified retaining skilled employees.

If a prospective employee looks around your workplace or hops on your website to see staff and board profiles and doesn’t see people they can relate to, it’s going to take more effort to convince them that your workplace is a good fit. Employers are having to recruit differently to find talent, including targeting different demographics than they might have in the past.

The Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce recently held our annual Business Summit, which featured a well-attended workshop on DEI and a workforce panel discussion where DEI was one of the most popular topics of discussion for the business community.

An article from Insight Global highlights nine benefits of strong DEI in the workplace:

• Reach a more extensive and inclusive talent pool

• Diverse workplace teams are more likely to perform better financially

• Inclusivity fosters a sense of belonging for employees

• Higher employee retention and lower turnover

• Diverse workplaces breed innovation

• Inclusion can improve business decision-making

• Equity and inclusion can tackle workplace burnout

• Creates a competitive business advantage

• DE&I protects company culture

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce SME Institute has a brief titled DEI: What it is and why you should have a strategy which gives an overview of how to move forward with DEI goals.

A diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace won’t happen by accident. Businesses looking to take this seriously need to be intentional and create a strategy to get where they want to be. For those looking for a bit of help getting started or getting connected, the Chamber network has resources and there are many local organizations with the knowledge and tools to help.

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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Electric City Culture Council and the 2023 Artsweek Team Present LOOK OUT!

The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) and the 2023 Artsweek Team are pleased to present LOOK OUT! a suite of works by 4 local visual and media artists popping up in unexpected places in downtown Peterborough from May 8 to 14.

photo courtesy of ec3.

Artsweek brings some of Peterborough’s most engaging artists down from the walls and out of the galleries to appear on city streets and sidewalks. Curated by Artsweek Executive Producer Su Ditta this project introduces both established and emerging artists to the public with work that is evocative, cheeky and thought provoking. Look Out! and check out artists: Sioux Dickson, Cassandra Lee, LA Alphonso/Age of Moss (Paul Moss) and Sammy Tangir.

Project: Shadow Selves
Artist: Sioux Dickson
Description: A photographic conversation about being a part of and apart from.
Date: Opens May 8.
Location: 210 Hunter St. West, front window of PBO Kawartha (Prosthetics, Bracing, and Orthotics).

Project: An Ode to Trees
Artist: Casandra Lee
Description: “An Ode to Trees involves hanging painted tree cookies on five of my favourite trees in our urban landscape of downtown Nogojiwanong-Peterborough. Trees intrigue me whenever I am outside and are an important point of interest for me. I want to share the joy I feel from seeing a beautiful tree. The installation is an invitation to the public to pause and take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the life of the trees we live amongst downtown. The artwork will be placed at various heights and tied to the trees in a non-harmful way. Cookies will be cut from a fallen cedar tree that was a victim of the May 2022 Derecho. The paintings will be colourful depictions of spring.”
Date: Opens May 8.
Location: Trees in downtown Peterborough:

· Tree to the right of the Peterborough Public Library (in front of the parking lot, 345 Aylmer St N).

· Tree in front of Sandy's Variety Store (near the corner of Aylmer St and Hunter St W).

· Tree behind Black Honey Café in the courtyard (through the alley off of Hunter St W, or the driveway off of Aylmer St next to GreenUP).

· Tree between La Hacienda and Sam’s Place (on Hunter St W).

· Tree in front of Kit Coffee (on Hunter St W between George St and Water St).

Project: POV
Artists: LA Alfonso, Age of Moss (Paul Moss)
Description: In places that act as a default audio/visual history archive, video artists LA Alfonso and Age of Moss (Paul Moss) infiltrate and activate the site’s media file systems for random ephemeral public consumption.
Date: May 8 from 10 pm to Midnight, and then May 9 to May 12, from 9 pm to Midnight.
Location: Paradigm Pictures, 161 King Street.

Project:  Winter Weeds and Spring Shoots
Artist: Sammy Tangir
Description: Winter Weeds is intended as a spark of inspiration to notice plants at a time of year when they are not growing and are likely to be passed by and underappreciated.  This takes form as a zine with a collection of photos of plants in their winter wares! Spring Shoots is an activation that brings the intention of Winter Weeds into the present environment, inviting people to explore and notice the great diversity of spring plants thriving amongst the concrete around Water and Charlotte Street. 
Date: Tuesday May 9th and Wednesday May 10th from 4:30-6:30pm.
Location: Outside Ministry of Natural Resources 300 Water St.

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Peterborough Primed To Win OHL Championship Against London Knights In 2006 Rematch

Shortly after winning the Bobby Orr Trophy as OHL Eastern Conference Champions, the Peterborough Petes begin their quest to win the OHL Championship with Game One against the London Knights in a deja vu situation beginning Thursday.

Both teams split the series with teh home team winning their respective games in their regular-season matchups. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Andersen and the Peterborough Petes.

This is a rematch of 2006 where both teams faced each other in the OHL Championship with Peterborough sweeping London for the title.

The Peterborough Petes defeated the Sudbury Wolves in four games, Ottawa 67’s in six games and North Bay Battalion in seven games to advance to the OHL Championship.

Peterborough and London faced each other twice during the regular season, splitting the series with both victories at home. London won 5-2 on Dec. 10 while the Petes shutout the Knights 3-0 on Jan. 26 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

“We haven’t played them much in the last couple of years due just with all the Covid and stuff going on,” said Chase Stillman, Petes forward. “I felt like we match up pretty well against them in the regular season, in the two games we played them and it’s going to be sticking to the same structure in the playoffs so far.”

“We’ve got work to do,” said Rob Wilson, Petes head coach.”We know they’re a good team. The whole organization is a tough opponent but we have to start with the coaches and then the players have to bring what they can bring. It's one game at a time.”

The Petes brought in several players at the trade deadline with Brennan Othmann, Gavin White, Avery Hayes, Owen Beck and more. Several of the acquisitions have made major impacts for the Petes during the playoffs, something Petes general manager intended to do for a playoff push.

“We knew that we owed it to the players and to the organization and fans that because of the play that we demonstrated in the first half, we were going to do whatever could do to strengthen and solidify the roster,” said Michael Oke, Petes general manager.

The Petes depth has been tested during the series. Johnathan Melee sustained a lower-body injury in Game Five (and was out for the series), captain Shawn Spearing sustained a head injury after blocking a shot in the first period in Game Seven and Avery Hayes had a lower-body injury from blocking a shot in Game One. Hayes returned to the lineup in Game Three. Spearing has yet to be cleared to play and Wilson said he has yet to receive a prognosis on Spearing’s condition.

Cam Gauvreau and Chase Stillman also served two-game suspensions in that were doled out in Games Six and Three respectively.

“Anytime you go into the playoffs, depth is key,” said Oke. “It's going to be challenged, there's going to be adversity. We've got a resilient group, it seems that if one guy goes down, someone else picks it up.”

Wilson credits the players for coming together at the right time when it matters most.

“It's a credit to players that were here and it's a credit to the players that were brought in,” he explained. “These guys have really come together and they've really wanted to play for each other and I think they've proved that.”

Rob Wilson ahs been head coach of the Petes since 2018. Photo by David Tuan bui.

The full schedule for the OHL Final against the London Knights is as follows:

• Game One – Thursday, May 11 at London, 7 p.m.

• Game Two – Saturday, May 13 at London, 7 p.m.

• Game Three – Monday, May 15 at Peterborough, 7 p.m

• Game Four – Wednesday, May 17 at Peterborough, TBD

• Game Five – Friday, May 19 at London, TBD*

• Game Six – Sunday, May 21 at Peterborough, Time TBD*

• Game Seven – Monday, May 22 at London, TBD*

*If necessary

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Peterborough Canada Day Parade Seeking Float Entries

The 2023 Peterborough Canada Day Parade will take place on Saturday, July 1, and local community groups and businesses are invited to participate by entering a float.

photo courtesy of the city of peterborough.

The Canada Day Parade welcomes both community groups and commercial floats. Commercial floats will be charged a fee of $125 with fees payable online. Each parade entry will require a representative to attend a safety orientation meeting on June 17 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Board Room of Healthy Planet Arena (911 Monaghan Rd.)

Parade entry forms are available online, and paper copies are available at the Peterborough Sport & Wellness Centre (775 Brealey Dr.), and City Hall (500 George St. N.) Entries will be accepted until June 9 at 4:30 p.m.

“This year's parade will be something for everyone to enjoy. It is more important than ever for our community to celebrate Canada's 156th birthday as the return to normal continues. Cogeco proudly supports the parade through our sponsorship and live coverage on YourTV,” said David Feeley, senior manager at YourTV.

The Canada Day Parade organizing committee encourages the community to wear red and white to celebrate Canada’s birthday.

For more details, visit the website.

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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough Hosting Inaugural MEGABike Fundraiser On June 1

Get up to 30 riders to join in on Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough’s (Peterborough Bigs) first annual MEGABike fundraiser for June 1, announced on Monday.

Photo courtesy of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough.

The fundraiser is to support Peterborough Bigs’s youth who are involved in their programs. The organization is seeking any sponsorships from companies that are ‘looking to be visible in the community.’ according to their press release.

The 30-person bike will ride a two-kilometre loop around Lansdowne and Monaghan. The route starts at Chuck's Roadhouse on Landsdowne St. W. then tours through Monaghan Road, Romaine Street, Park Street and back down Lansdowne.

Ten rides are available for the event with different sponsorship packages available including sending a ‘Big’ on the bike.

Riders are encouraged to coordinate clothing/uniforms as they ride with prizes available to be won for individuals and companies who raise the most money. 

Teams can register online with more information found here.

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Peterborough Takes Action for Monarch Conservation Through 10 Kilometre Monarch Run

Local community members who are concerned about the environment and the plight of monarch butterflies are encouraged to join the inaugural Monarch Butterfly Festival and Race on Sunday, Oct. 15 at Millennium Park.

photo courtesy of the monarch ultra.

As many are aware the migratory monarch butterfly is now an endangered species, threatened by habitat destruction and climate change. The Monarch Ultra, a community-led group in Peterborough, is launching a new initiative as a call to action to protect monarchs and inspire positive environmental change.

After the initial 4,300 kilometre relay from Canada to Mexico in 2019 and the 1,800 kilometre relay within Ontario in 2021, the organization is embarking on a series of runs in Canada, the US and Mexico as well as organizing a Monarch Butterfly Festival in Peterborough to raise awareness for monarch conservation this year.

Runners can register for the 10 kilometre race and fundraise for Nación Verde, a non-profit conservation organization in Mexico that is helping to restore habitat loss from deforestation in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. The organization works in several areas including conservation, regeneration and protection of the environment. This year, Nación Verde is planning to plant 100,000 Oyamel trees along 100 hectares. Overall, planting trees is beneficial for the environment because it helps to fight climate change, minimize soil erosion, promote healthy forest and biodiversity, and helps reduce carbon dioxide. 100% of donations raised through the Monarch Run will be for Nación Verde who is playing a vital role in protecting habitat for monarch butterflies and other forest dwellers at the Reserva de la Biosfera de la Mariposa Monarca. Registration for the Peterborough 10 kilometre race and 1 kilometre kids fun run can be found online.

“I would love to see a sea of orange and black along the race route. An image of humans running with wings will mimic the monarch migration which takes place around the same time as our race,” says race director for the Monarch Ultra Jodi McNeill.

photo courtesy of the monarch ultra.

The Monarch Ultra has worked diligently for several years now to bring awareness and inspire action for monarch butterflies across North America. As they continue to educate and advocate for these endangered species, they encourage the community to join the movement and consider planting a pollinator garden or few pollinator-friendly plants such as milkweed (monarch butterflies need milkweed plants to lay their eggs) and avoid using pesticides in your garden and property.

“Recognizing that monarch butterflies are endangered should inspire action on several levels, and one way is for communities to protect and increase biodiversity along the migratory path which ultimately helps all wildlife species,” says Carlotta James, co-founder of the Monarch Ultra. “There are so many ways for folks to do something impactful and creative to save monarch butterflies. We can plant pollinator gardens. We can push governments to create better policies that protect biodiversity and wild spaces. And we can run for monarch conservation. I am doing all three actions so that we can continue to enjoy these migratory marvels flying through our summer skies.”

The out and back course will take runners along the Rotary Trail and Otonabee River. Following the race, families and community members are invited to participate in the Monarch Butterfly Festival starting at noon at Millennium Park. Participants can expect music, dancers, performances and presentations at the festival, while the event will also showcase sustainability and biodiversity initiatives.

The organizers are seeking out sponsors to support the community-led event. If interested, contact Carlotta James via email.

Register for the 10 kilometre race on October 15th, and come out to our Monarch Butterfly Festival to celebrate, to learn more about biodiversity initiatives, and to have fun, all in honour of the monarch butterfly.

To learn more about the Monarch Butterfly Festival and Race visit the website.

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Peterborough Police Issued 40 Tickets During Distracted Driving Campaign

During the Peterborough Police Service’s “Keep Your Eyes” on the road campaign, they have issued 40 distracted driving tickets during its first week, announced on Tuesday.

Photo by Samantha Bianco.

The police urge motorists keep roads safe by:

• Never text while driving

• Pull over to use your phone

• Avoid tasks that may take your attention away from driving

The campaign runs through May with traffic and frontline officers conducting speed enforcement and watching for distracted drivers in high traffic volume areas and residential neighbourhoods. 

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Peterborough Petes Win Bobby Orr Trophy As Eastern Conference Champions, Defeating North Bay 3-2 in Game Seven; Will Face London Knights in OHL Championship

The Peterborough Petes are returning home with the Bobby Orr Trophy as Eastern Conference Champions after a 3-2 victory over the Battalion in Game Seven at the North Bay Memorial Gardens on Monday night.

The Peterborough Petes won back-to-back games on consecutive nights to win the series against the North Bay Battalion. Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Petes.

Both teams finished Game Six in Peterborough on Sunday and are on the second leg of back-to-back games.

North Bay opened the scoring 10:56 into the period as the Battalion recovered the puck in their own zone and started their rush. Josh Bloom made a cross-ice pass to Justin Ertel who took a shot. It was blocked by Gavin White and went back to the stick of Bloom who had a wide open net and scored for a 1-0 lead. That remained the score after the first with Peterborough leading in shots, 14-8.

Peterborough got in rhythm early in the second as Montréal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck started the attack from his own end. He took advantage of a Battalion player who slipped, gained the offensive zone and rifled it past North Bay goaltender Dom DiVincentiis top shelf for a 1-1 tie. Brennan Othmann continued to stay hot during the playoffs as he sniped a shot from a sharp angle to give the Petes a 2-1 lead. That was Othmann’s seventh goal of the playoffs and the eighth point of the series. He has failed to register a point in two of 17 playoff games this postseason for Peterborough. North Bay would tie the game with 7:11 left in the period as Ty Nelson made a point shot and got tipped by Battalion captain Liam Arnsby as both teams headed into the third.

The Petes made their stamp early in the third period as just under six minutes in, Selwyn’s J.R. Avon had a partial breakaway and chipped it over DiVincentiis to give Peterborough a 3-2 lead. The Petes clamped down defensively despite coughing up a penalty as the limited North Bay to five shots in the period. The Battalion pulled their goalie with under two minutes to go in desperation to tie the game. Several Petes blocked many shots to prevent a score and Peterborough held on for a 3-2 win.

Captain Shawn Spearing had taken two blocked shots to the face during the contest and was taken to a local hospital to treat his injuries. During the presentation of the Bobby Orr Trophy for the Eastern Conference Champions, the team held up Spearing’s jersey, honouring their captain’s sacrifice and effort for the win.

Avon, Brian Zanetti and Arnsby were awarded the three stars of the game.

The win gives Peterborough a spot for the franchise’s 14th OHL Championship series and will face the Wayne Gretzky Trophy-champion London Knights for the J. Ross Robertson Cup in a 2006 rematch.

This is Peterborough’s second Bobby Orr trophy since it was introduced in 1999. The Petes made 12 appearances in the OHL Final before the trophy was introduced. The team is looking to capture its 10th J. Ross Robertson Cup.

The full schedule for the OHL Final against the London Knights is as follows:

• Game One – Thursday, May 11 at London, 7 p.m.

• Game Two – Saturday, May 13 at London, 7 p.m.

• Game Three – Monday, May 15 at Peterborough, 7 p.m

• Game Four – Wednesday, May 17 at Peterborough, TBD

• Game Five – Friday, May 19 at London, TBD*

• Game Six – Sunday, May 21 at Peterborough, Time TBD*

• Game Seven – Monday, May 22 at London, TBD*

*If necessary

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Adam Scott Captures Canadian High School Ultimate Frisbee Championships In Ajax

The Adam Scott Collegiate Vocational Institute Lions are returning to Peterborough with gold from the Canadian High School Ultimate (Frisbee) Championships as they defeated Bowmanville High School 13-4 at the Ajax Community Centre Soccer Fields on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of Sarah Hickey and Ultimate Canada.

Adam Scott was the only Peterborough representative for the two-day tournament as one of 16 teams across the country. Schools from Manitoba, Quebec and New Brunswick were in attendance.

The Lions were in Pool A with Collége Sturgeon Heights Collegiate from Winnipeg, Mitchell-Montcalm from Quebec and Merivale High School in Ottawa.

They captured the number one seed after three round-robin games on Saturday and one inter-divisional game on Sunday before qualifying for the playoffs.

The last championship was held by Kelvin High School who are two-time defending champions for 2018 and 2019. Following their finals loss, Bowmanville has been runner-up for three consecutive years.

The Canadian High School Ultimate (Frisbee) Championships have not run since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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